


Taking Care of Sammy

by theduskysky



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Castiel (Supernatural), Alpha Sam, Alpha Sam Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, Human Castiel, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, Lactation, M/M, Male Lactation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Dean, Omega Dean Winchester, Protective Castiel, Weird kid cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-05-05 05:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14610033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theduskysky/pseuds/theduskysky
Summary: The one imperative Dean has always had is 'take care of Sammy'. He's going to do that any way he can.





	Taking Care of Sammy

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Just Trying to Get Dry](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3754786) by [Dirtcore Dreams (NakedEye)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NakedEye/pseuds/Dirtcore%20Dreams). 
  * Inspired by [Tor-Valen](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5286974) by [Savaial](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Savaial/pseuds/Savaial). 



> This is a one-off that I took from my brain to paper. I didn't want to post it for a long time because of the content but I kinda like it. At this time, no follow-up is planned but you never know. So if you like it, maybe subscribe so you'll know if I ever add to it.
> 
> This was inspired by the two works listed but are not related to those stories. PS: if you have not read Tor-Valen, your life is incomplete.

Dean was not yet five when his mother died. He remembered standing out in the cold that November night holding his baby brother wrapped in a blanket and his father’s words laced with alpha command, “take care of Sammy”.

It was the one command John would give him most over the years, the one command so ingrained in Dean’s memory that it became so much of what he was. He sometimes wondered if that wasn’t what made him present how he did. His father had been hoping for big, strapping alphas like himself to help him in his work, in his war. He’d been teaching Dean about all the things that go bump in the night. Then to end up with an omega for a son, the bitter disappointment was an acrid burnt smell that pervaded their hotel room the night that it happened. 

Dean knew what it meant. He’d instantly gone from a help to a liability in his dad’s eyes. He’d been told often enough that omegas were weaker. Omegas had to be protected. He lay on the floor of the bathroom where he’d been commanded to lock himself in and wait, thinking about how things were going to change for him now.

He was still too young for the sexual side effects of heat: the slick, the mating imperative drive and alpha maddening pheromones. But he could tell he was still giving off omega-in-distress and that might be enough to catch the attention of any alpha. There were still those in seedier places that might take advantage of an omega given the opportunity, no matter how young. It just happened that any motel they stayed at would be one of those seedier places. His dad had even taken the precaution of putting a towel down at the bottom of the bathroom door.

He heard his dad tell Sam to stay in the room and leave Dean alone before the motel door slammed. It was only seconds before there was scrambling at the bathroom door. Sam was only eight and wouldn’t really understand what was going on. 

“Dean?” His brother rarely give in to puppy whining because John demanded they both be tough but he could hear it now, the small unsure whimpering sounds. 

“It’s alright. Don’t worry. Everything’s okay.” He heard the doorknob rattle. 

“Can I come in, Dean?” 

“Can’t. You heard Dad. He’ll be back soon.” Sammy, he was sure, would be an alpha one day. His distress smell was probably messing with the kid, that and Dad’s alpha anger. He dragged himself up off the cold floor where he’d been pressing his cheek and leaned against the door. He could at least be closer so Sammy could scent him.

“You smell sick, Dean.” 

“M’not sick. It’s just heat.” He had a vague idea of what was happening. Everybody had ABO class in fifth grade. His body was beginning the development into mature omega. In six to twelve months, he’d be able to carry and have full heats with all the stuff kids whispered about in school. For now, he’d have the fever and abdominal pains, three days if he was lucky, six if he wasn’t and then multiply that by two to four times a year. 

His dad returned later with the omega book which meant that he’d gone to the local Planned Parenthood and registered Dean. All kids had to be registered when they presented. If they didn’t, how would the schools know which kids they might have to protect or might have special medical situations? It was also the only way to get free heat suppressants, which he couldn’t take yet anyway, not until he was fully mature or else it would mess with his development.

This meant that when he got back to school, everyone would know. They’d know anyway because of the change in his scent. It would be all over the school by lunch because most kids didn’t present until thirteen or fourteen. Dean was twelve. 

Dad let him out of the bathroom and gave him the omega book, telling him he had to read the whole thing. It’s not like any alpha needed to read it, except maybe doctors, so if Dean needed to know anything about being an omega, he was going to have to find it out by himself. Then John made Dean get into bed and gave him meds for the fever. He unboxed a small appliance on the floor near Dean’s bed. Sam was already reading the box before John had plugged it in but Dean knew what it was. It was a scent neutralizer and it meant that this wasn’t going to change John’s habits. It meant that John was still going to leave them like he always did but didn’t feel secure enough about leaving a new, heated omega alone. At least he’d done that for them.

“You’ve got enough food for a few days. You both stay inside until Dean’s heat is over. Don’t leave this room, not even for school. I gotta finish this job and then I’ll be back. Sam, this pistol’s yours now. You know the drill. Shoot first. Ask questions later. Take care of your brother.” With that, John was gone, probably for a night of drinking first.

Dean watched as Sam stroked the 9mm John had set on the other bed. They’d both had weapons training but he hadn’t had a firearm that was specifically his own until he’d made that sawed-off shotgun in sixth grade, when he’d been eleven. And now he was relegated to the care of an eight year old. He sighed and turned away from Sam. It wasn’t his fault but it still really sucked.

It didn’t take too long before Sam lost interest in the 9mm and he was crawling into the bed behind Dean. “Dean?” he asked unsure. “What’s gonna happen?”

No matter what John said now, Dean would always take care of Sam. So he turned onto his back and put his arm around Sam. “Nothin’s gonna change, Sammy. You’ll see. You’ll just have to miss school for a couple days cause I can’t take you. We’ll just tell the teacher we were sick and I’ll write us a fake note. You should go to sleep. I bet you’re tired.” Sam settled under the blanket, snuffling against Dean’s neck until he fell asleep. 

Much didn’t change. Dean was still in charge since he was older and he’d always been the one to clean up and cook when John wasn’t around. There were multiple times where they’d run out of money and consequently, out of food. Usually, it was only a day. Dean knew how to make the money stretch, especially since John had commanded Dean to stop hustling and petty theft. It’d been different before when everybody thought he’d be an alpha. An alpha or a beta can get away with that stuff with a slap on the wrist, but not an omega. Nothing would call social services down on them faster than him getting caught now. And they really didn’t have anything to hock. No money, no food.

This time, it was bad. Dean had already stopped eating two days before to give Sammy his share. The first night Sam had gone to bed hungry, he’d put on a brave face. He knew Dean hadn’t eaten either. The second day, he grumbled. The third night, it hurt so bad, he cried. He was curled up against Dean who was mad at the world, mad at his father for leaving them and mad at himself for being a stupid omega who wasn’t allowed to do anything. And being a dumb omega meant that Sammy’s crying hurt him because he was still just a little pup. He gripped Sammy tighter until he stopped crying. Sam was actually rubbing his cheek against Dean’s chest. Dean thought he was wiping his tears until Sam said brokenly, “you smell like milk.”

Dean’s eyes went wide and he scrambled out of bed. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he stammered and ran to the bathroom. He’d read the whole damned omega book and it was big like a school book. It had a lot of stuff in it: biology, psychology, pheromology, reproduction, mating and more. It even had stuff about omega laws and dumb little omegas-throughout-history blurps. The part that he was remembering now was about lactation. It had been embarrassing to just read but he knew what it said. Constant exposure to hungry pups could cause an omega to lactate. Pup in distress caused an omega to react to assist the pup. 

He whipped off his shirt and looked at himself in the mirror. He never really checked out his chest much. He’d have to work out hard core to get ripped because he was an omega and they tended to be softer but he didn’t really care about that anyway. He touched his left pectoral. It did seem a little puffy. The nipple was a little red and sensitive when he touched it. He pulled on it, pinching gently and got a dribble of milk. 

He stood there staring down at himself in horror. This was really happening. His body was actually making milk. And Sammy had smelled it. It had made him stop crying. He balled up his fists, fingernails biting into his palms. He really didn’t want to do this. It went beyond embarrassing into humiliating but it was the only thing he could think now. It wasn’t really done anymore except probably in the poorest backwater areas where the family trees didn’t fork but once upon a time, it had been not uncommon for omegas to feed non-infant family members with their milk. And Sammy was hungry. 

He didn’t know how long he quibbled about it. Every time he tried to shut the door on that thought, his mind would blow it back open with _Sammy is hungry_. Finally he made his decision. What use was he if he couldn’t give his brother the one thing he had to give? He went back to the bedroom. Sam always slept in his bed when their dad was away. When he got older, he’d kick him out but not yet. He could admit being in the dark alone could be scary. He crawled back into bed leaving his shirt off and let Sam snuggle against him again. He stared at the ceiling for a while just listening to Sam’s occasional whimper before he broke down.

“Sammy… this is gonna be weird. And you can’t tell Dad cause I think it might make him mad.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “You know how I’m an omega? Well… omegas make milk.” He heard Sam take a couple of sniffs and then felt the edge of his nose press against his chest. “My body thinks you’re my pup and you’re hungry so it’s making milk. You have to drink it Sammy.” They lay in silence for a couple minutes. “It would hurt me if you didn’t anyway. Once it starts, it hurts if it doesn’t get out. So you have to.”

He felt Sam shift before rising up to look at Dean, obviously confused. “How?”

“The way babies do, you idiot. You have to suck it out, like from a bottle.” Dean didn’t want to be mean. He was just honest to God mortified to be talking about this. He really didn’t know that much about it either. He waited but Sam just looked at him like he was not sure if he was being serious. “It’s okay. I know you’re hungry,” he soothed.

Dean kept his eyes on Sam’s face to reassure him. If Sam knew he was reluctant, he wouldn’t go through with it. Then his face changed from unsure to trying to solve a puzzle before he leaned back over Dean. It was weird and awkward, everything that Dean feared. It even hurt a little but it only took a few moments for Sam to figure out the mechanics. Or remember them maybe. Dean could feel the draw and once Sammy was getting something, he was off to the races. There really couldn’t have been much and Dean could tell when that side was essentially empty. He knew Sam could tell too because he let out a little whimper.

“There’s two of them, dumbass,” he said softly, gently nudging Sam’s face to the other side of his chest. It was less than ten minutes from awkward to empty but when he was done, Sam nuzzled his face against Dean’s chest and sighed. His body relaxed and Dean could tell he was falling asleep fast. Dean just stared at the ceiling, trying not to think about the fact he had just breastfed Sam. 

“It was sweet,” Sam mumbled. That was all he said before his breathing evened out. Dean didn’t remember falling asleep but he did wake up sometime in the night thirsty. He gulped down a couple glasses of water before passing out again.

The next morning was a Saturday, so the boys slept in. When they woke, there still was no food but Dean just motioned Sam over and they didn’t have to say anything. John came home that afternoon. He brought in his equipment and promptly passed out in his room. Dean snuck into his wallet and pulled out enough money for groceries. He and Sam had a real meal that night. With Dad home, Sam had to sleep in his own bed but woke Dean later. He gave Dean sad eyes and Dean let him under the blankets. 

“It’s fine, Sammy. You can have it. They were starting to hurt anyway,” he said taking off the t-shirt he slept in. 

They moved from place to place until John took on a partner and moved them to Pontiac, Illinois. He found them the shittiest house in town to rent. It'd been three months and the semi-permanency of the house meant John was away for longer stretches. He'd stop by for a day or two to make sure they were fine and to gear up and then he'd be gone again. He was so busy hunting, he wasn't hustling much and money was tighter than ever.

Dean had just turned fifteen so he couldn't even get a real job yet, not for another year. He was getting taller but he was thin, same as Sammy except Sammy was starting to grow fast enough to be worrisome. The kid needed nutrition and Dean didn't have enough money for that. He did the only thing he could do. It had been an off and on thing before. It made his body uncomfortable getting mixed signals, need, no need, but now there was definite need. 

He tried to be responsible about it, first only letting Sam feed from him at night and making sure he brushed his teeth after because he read how the sugar in milk could ruin a kid's teeth but when they had no lunch money, he'd grab Sam from the kids area and lead him somewhere secluded at lunch time. They were lucky that small town meant all the schools were on the same lot and shared facilities. He was very careful that they weren't followed because who knew what would happen if they were caught. They'd call his dad for sure. 

It made him nervous as hell for a lot of reasons so he kept a vigilant eye out while he held Sammy against him. Sammy was probably too big to be held like a baby but they both liked it, even though they would never say, and it let Dean massage Sam’s arms and legs if he'd been having growing pains. Today, Dean kept scanning out into the trees behind the bleachers. It felt like someone was watching them but he couldn't see anything. He really hoped there wasn't. This was a good spot. It was still cool enough out that all the students avoided it and he didn't really want to have to find them a new place.

When Sammy was done, he leaned his head against Dean's chest and Dean held him for a few moments. It was tough. They'd been here months but they were still outsiders. They were the weird, poor kids with the reclusive dad no one ever saw around. The town kids had all grown up together. Everybody knew everybody, except for them. These moments together gave them both a respite from the heaviness of not belonging. 

Finally Dean pushed Sam to sit up. “You better get back. Don't want to be late.” Sam just nodded and walked back across the field. He didn't like leaving Dean but Dean always insisted on being alone before he came back. He wouldn’t tell him why though.

Dean wouldn't tell Sam that he needed that ten minutes to build his walls back up. Feeding Sam made him very vulnerable in an omega way he hated. He found he was less able to resist other people, other alpha demands until he's mentally fortified himself and no way was he keeping himself vulnerable like that. He shrugged his shirt back on and sat hugging his knees. 

Sam was out of hearing distance when he heard the rustling in the trees. He moved up onto his knees in case he needed to run and watched as a kid his age emerged. The scent of alpha had him on edge immediately.

“It's okay. I won't hurt you,” he said and no way should some teenager have a voice that low in a body that scrawny. The guy walked forward slowly with his hands held up, his eyes on Dean. He'd obviously been watching them. 

“What do you want?” he glared back. 

“I just wanted to make sure you were alright,” he said stopping a few feet in front of Dean.

“Well I don't need your help.”

“Sometimes the older alphas, the bad ones, like to smoke out here. Usually when it's warmer but better safe than sorry,” the boy shrugged. “Is that your brother?”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Naw, it's my pup. I had him when I was four. Yeah it's my bother! What's it to you?”

The boy tilted his head and looked at Dean critically. “You're too skinny.”

Dean huffed. “Well sorry I don't meet your expectations. Are we done here?” He was trying to drive the boy off with words because he hadn't had enough time. Every question this kid asked, Dean felt compelled to answer.

“You don't have enough reserves for a feeding omega. It's not good for you.” Dean didn't know what to say so he stayed silent. “Why don't you eat lunch in the cafeteria?”

“No money,” he spat, resentful that this kid was unknowingly making him tell his story. 

“You could get the free school lunches.” Dean looked down. He kind of knew about that, that the poor kids could get free lunches but he didn't know how. They'd never been enrolled in any school long enough and he didn't want to ask. That's the kind of thing a parent would take care of and he didn't want to draw attention to their family. 

“Your dad just needs to fill out the forms.”

Dean didn't reply. He could get the forms himself, say his dad had sent him. He thought about it. It couldn't be that hard. 

“If your dad's not around, you could sign them.” That set warning bells off.

“You been watching me?” he demanded, angry now. The kid had to have seen him do it before, which there had been opportunity, to know it was something Dean would do.

“Yes.” The kid came and sat near him. Dean was surprised. He wasn't giving off any kind of intent. Alphas their age were usually giving off some kind of scent signal, not having learned to control it yet.

“You’re in my class, right? You're Casi… Casti…”

“Castiel.”

“That's a weird name,” he said turning slightly to keep the kid right in front of him.

“I know. My mom… she named me after an angel because she says I'm her little miracle.” Dean have the kid a look that said ‘you gotta be kidding me’. “She couldn't have kids for a long time until I was born. Now she can't stop having them.” There was another long silence. Dean couldn't figure out what this kid wanted. “That's how I know it's bad for you, being too skinny when you're feeding pups.” After a moment of silence, Castiel took something out of his jacket pocket and set it in front of Dean without leaning in too close. “Be careful going back.” 

Dean watched him walk away. The kid was an enigma. Who had left him a Twix like some kind of offering. Dean stared at it for a moment. He was hungry but he didn’t want the kid… Casti-whatever to think Dean owed him in any kind of way. He picked it up and put it in his pocket anyway. He’d share it with Sam later. 

He couldn’t help but be aware of Cas more, how close or far he sat in class, when he passed in the hall. Cas, because Castiel was too ridiculous, no matter what the kid’s mother thought, watched him but didn’t approach him, not in the school anyway. He did come out of the trees two days later after Dean had sent Sam back. Dean knew Cas had been watching them. Dean had the lunch program form in his hand. 

“I can’t turn this in. It asks for my dad’s number. They’ll call him.”

“Would that be a problem?” Cas asked as he came to sit across from Dean.

“Yeah. He’ll know I filled this out.”

“I assume he already knows you do that.” 

Dean sighed. That was true enough. “He doesn’t like taking charity or people knowing his business.”

“And this is both.”

“Yeah,” said Dean defeated. Cas took the form out of his fingers, reading it over.

“I doubt they’ll call but list my cell phone number. People say I speak like an adult. They won’t know.” He pulled a pen out of his pocket and filled the number in and handed the form back to Dean. He looked at it for a few moments. This might work.

“This doesn’t mean I owe you anything,” Dean scowled.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t ask anything of you,” Cas said pulling a sandwich from within his jacket and laying it in front of Dean. He stood and walked away. 

Dean gave him another scowl but reached for the sandwich. He opened the ziploc bag, giving it a sniff. It was ham and cheese on wheat with lettuce and tomato. “You’re a weird kid, Cas,” he called out. 

Cas turned to face him, still moving. “Be careful going back.” He turned back around and kept walking. 

It took almost a week before the school office called him to come pick up lunch cards for him and Sam. Each one of those days, Cas brought him a sandwich.

“You’re not eating them,” Cas said after giving him the third one.

“It’s my sandwich. I can do with it what I want.”

“You’re giving them to your brother.”

“Is that a question?” Dean always let Cas stay but he wasn’t sure why. 

“You need it more.” Cas was giving him a weird look. It was almost like concern but people usually didn’t look at Dean that way.

“You’re not my alpha, Cas.” Dean had meant to be gruff but it came out more gently than he intended.

“I know.” Cas picked at his shoe.

The first day they ate in the cafeteria, Cas came out of nowhere and sat next to Dean. He should have expected it. Sam looked at Cas and then to Dean for an explanation.

“Sam, Cas. Cas, Sam,” he said motioning with his fork. Lunch was some bastardized form of lasagna and he wasn’t sure if it was worth eating.

“The sandwiches came from you?” Sam asked.

“I didn't think you'd tell him,” Cas said putting a sack lunch on the table.

“I didn't,” Dean said shaking his milk carton.

Cas squinted across the table at Sam. “You're very astute.”

Sam held Cas’ gaze. “You're not his alpha.”

“I'm aware,” he replied neutrally. 

“Are you two done now?” Dean demanded stabbing his pasta. 

“Ahem, yeah,” said Sam looking down at his tray.

“Certainly,” said Cas.

Castiel started sitting with them everyday. He didn’t say much but he would answer when he was addressed directly. Since they had the same class after lunch, he'd walk there side by side with Dean. After school, he’d watch them walk away before he climbed into his father's car. 

One afternoon, as they exited the school, Cas turned toward the parking lot and told them to follow. He stopped at a respectable small sedan, opening the door to get into the driver's seat. With a shrug, Dean got in the passenger side.

“My sixteenth birthday present,” he explained as he started it. 

“You are so one of those over privileged kids,” said Dean reaching over to change the radio station. Cas was driving the right way so he didn't give any directions.

“This is very creepy stalker, you know that, right?” Dean said when they pulled up in front of their house.

“I would have expected you to notice, Dean. I live five houses up the block.”

“Two story with the honest to god picket fence?”

“Yes.”

“How come we've never seen you?” asked Sam.

“I spend a lot of time in the woods that run behind our homes. Also as you walk to school, you leave earlier than I do. However, if you wait until 7:50, I will gladly drive you from now on.”

“Sounds good,” said Sam as he got out. 

“Would you like to go for a walk with me?” Cas asked.

“Why not,” said Dean. Cas shut off the car and walked straight into the woods. Their house was the shitty house at the end of a street of very nice homes which were surrounded by a fair sized copse. He led the way to a small creek and sat on the grass near it.

“I like the sound of the water.”

“Cas, what are we doing out here?”

**Author's Note:**

> Well... that's as far as I ever got with this. Again, not really planning anything more on this at this time but we'll see.
> 
> Disclaimer: I obviously know nothing about biology. 
> 
> You're asking how was this inspired by Tor-Valen? That chapter where Dean's milk lets down when he heard Sky cry.


End file.
